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In a world where digital reigns supreme, there are a few dedicated souls continuing to produce print publications worthy of being a collectors’ item. Andy Summons, Editor at Paper Sea Quarterly, is one such soul. Along with business partners Tom Batrouney and Andrew Diprose, Andy has moulded Paper Sea Quarterly into a sought-after and respected publication.
We chatted to Andy about their inspiration, the hard knock life of print and adventures past and future.
"It’s as simple as the difference in appeal between looking at a photo on a screen versus holding a printed photo in your hands – which feels better?"
Andy Summons, Editor, Paper Sea QuarterlyTell us, when did you first have that lightbulb moment that made you want to start Paper Sea Quarterly? And how did you get Tom and Andrew on board?
We knew each other from school. I got on well with them but didn’t really hang out much. We started Paper Sea after we’d completed undergrads. Tom studied photography at RMIT, Andrew studied Graphic Design at Swinburne University, and I’d finished an arts degree at Melbourne University and was three-quarters of the way through a Master of Creative Writing. The three of us were doing what we now do for Paper Sea for ourselves before we came together. We met at a café in Richmond and discussed the idea of creating the type of surf publication we craved but couldn’t find. That was nearly five years ago now.
You’re still working full-time while running the magazine, how do you make time to get to the coast or out into the wild?
Yeah I work as marketing manager for an app, Skip, in addition to Paper Sea and it keeps me busy – early mornings and late nights, but finding time to get amongst nature is vital. It acts as a mental reset and helps quiet my monkey mind when everything feels like it’s getting a bit too full on. The feeling of driving down the coast for a surf and spending hours bobbing round in the sea makes me so deeply happy; camping and hiking give me the same release.
I’m pretty hyperactive so I’m always searching for new ways to release my mind, which led me to yoga, meditation and climbing – they tie me over between surfs.
Have you been on any adventures recently?
I spent ten days down the coast in Vic in late winter with a couple of mates and that was pretty special. We managed to surf twice a day every day and thawed out in front of a fire every night. There was a crazy number of whales and dolphins hanging around all week. A few weekends ago I went for a surf with the same mates to a somewhat isolated beach that offers so much adventure – a great walk in underneath a canopy of native trees, a dodgy goat track down to the beach, sharp rocks to jump off and really beautiful water and waves; then a storm rolled through and it felt like the end of days.
There’s no mistaking that print is a hard game to play these days, what keeps you producing print editions rather than just existing in the digital world?
It’s as simple as the difference in appeal between looking at a photo on a screen versus holding a printed photo in your hands – which feels better? In our first discussion about starting something that represented the surf culture we appreciated, we raised this same question: Why would we spend so much on printing something we could just create online?
Our focus on photography and art lent itself to print and from the outset we wanted to create a physical product that could transport people to an inspiring place far removed from wherever they sat – that’s much harder to achieve online.
You’ve been hinting at some new projects on social media, any clues as to what’s next for PSQ?
The theme for our newest issue is Energy Flow, and a lot of the featured artists discuss the role of art and creativity in their personal self-exploration. It inspired us to tweak the look of Paper Sea so you’ll notice some of the new issue looks like it’s just returned from a long trip – fresh faced and brimming with energy.
Any favourite stories from over the years that have stuck in your head?
I interviewed Wayne Lynch in his living room for our very first issue. It’s so long ago but I remember that so vividly. He’s such an iconic character to be able to hear his story and share it was awesome. I was so nervous before the interview I stopped on the drive there and went for a body surf to burn some nervous energy. Interviewing HTML Flowers recently was awesome – he’s a Melbourne artist who makes incredible music, art and is huge in the comic world, and he has Cystic Fibrosis, which has seen him outlive 2 life expectancies so far. The thing I enjoy most about Paper Sea is having the opportunity to interview all the amazing people we feature and then holding the finished products in my hands and being able to share it with others.
Finally, you’re given a free return flight to anywhere in the world: where do you go and why?
I really want to explore Morocco’s coastline; I went there years ago for a hike in the Atlas mountains but couldn’t make it to the coast. I’m heading to Namibia early next year, which is a trip that’s been in my mind for a while.
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